Power reducer for pumping wells



Nov. 8, 1955 H. M. TUCKER 2,722,850

POWER REDUCER FOR PUMPING WELLS Filed Aug. 20, 1951 H. M.TUCKER IN VEN TOR TTORNEY United States Patent POWER REDUCER FOR PUMPING WELLS Hilry M. Tucker, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application August 20, 1951, Serial No. 242,779

1 Claim. (Cl. 74--590) This invention relates to oil field equipment, and has reference to improvements in pump jacks.

An object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary balance weight which is effective during the upstroke of the pump for reducing the power required to raise oil or other liquids to the earths surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable device of the described character whereby the auxiliary balance weight may be advantageously employed according to the Weight of the column of liquid being raised.

Generally, the invention contemplates a pump jack construction having an auxiliary balance weight which automatically moves outwardly from the jack fulcrum and on the side thereof opposite the horse head so as to reduce the power required for lifting oil through the well tubing. In carrying out my invention, the referred to shifting of the auxiliary weight may be accomplished by various means, such as rolling, sliding or swinging, as hereinafter described.

A feature of my invention has to do with overcoming inertia, particularly at the beginning of the upstroke, where there is a tendency of the traveling valve to stick in the working barrel. The outwardly shiftable auxiliary weight provides for overcoming this additional load on the string of sucker rods.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pump jack embodying a preferred form of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of a pivoted arm and roller for moving or shifting the auxiliary balance weight.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 1 includes a base having a pair of spaced parallel vertical supports 11 which comprise a frame assembly. A prime mover 12 is also mounted on the base 10 and includes a rotating crank 13 for actuating a pitman 14 which is pivotally connected with a walking beam 15 on the length thereof opposite the horse head 16. A wire line or cable 17 connects the horse head 16 with a polish rod 18 received within the well casing head 19. The referred to parts 10 through 19, are conventional and are not, therefore, described in detail.

The end of walking beam 15 opposite the horse head 16 is provided with a cylindrical extension 20 on which a balance weight 21 is mounted. The weight 21 is slidable on the extension 20 and may be secured in the proper position for balancing the walking beam 15 by means of a set Patented Nov. 8, 1955 screw 22. An upwardly curved arcuate track 23 is secured on the walking beam 15 and the extension 20 for supporting an auxiliary balance 24 which is connected with the upper end of the vertical supports 11 by means of a connecting arm 25. The upper end of the auxiliary weight 24 is provided with vertically extending hangers 26 which pivotally engage a pin 27 extending through a roller bracket 28. The bracket 28 is secured on the extending end of the connecting arm 25 and supports a roller 29 which is grooved to engage the upper surface of the arcuate track 23. To those versed in the art, it will be obvious that the roller 29 is merely for reducing friction, and that the extending end of the arm 25 could be in sliding contact with the track 23. Anti-friction bearings may be employed in the roller 29 for further reducing friction. The end of the connecting arm 25 opposite the roller 29 is provided with spaced openings 30 through one of which a pivot pin 31 is received for relatively extending or retracting the length of said connecting arm. Similarly, vertically arranged openings 32 are provided in the upper ends of the vertical supports for receiving the pivot pin 31 and vertically adjusting the position of the connecting arm 25. The described adjustment and arrangement has to do with changing the relative location and movement of the auxiliary balance weight 24 during operation of the pump jack, and which adjustment is required according to the load applied to the connecting cable 17 The fulcrum or pivot of the walking beam 15 is in the form of trunnions 33 extending from opposite sides thereof and which trunnions are journaled in aligned bearings 34 in the respective vertical supports 11.

The form of the invention shown is operated in the manner of a conventional pump jack; and, by means of the weights 21 and 24, the weight of the sucker rods and pump mechanism, not shown, is balanced at the beginning of the down stroke. The balanced position of the assembling is shown by means of dotted lines. As the down stroke takes place, the auxiliary balance weight is moved outwardly relative to the pivot 33, thus providing additional leverage for the up stroke. In practice, the balance weight 21 and the relative length of the connecting arm 25 are adjusted, both vertically and laterally, to properly balance the load applied to the cable 17.

The invention is not limited to the specific constructions herein shown and described, but may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a pump jack for an oil well comprising a frame, a walking beam pivoted between the ends thereof on said frame, a horse head on one end of said walking beam, a counterweight on the end of said beam opposite said horse head, an upwardly curved arcuate track mounted on said beam and on the end thereof including said counterweight, an arm pivotally connected to said frame and having the free end thereof movably supported on said track, and an auxiliary counterweight mounted on said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 527,929 Bentrup Oct. 23, 1894 1,309,842 Dayton July 15, 1919 2,175,588 Athy Oct. 10, 1939 2,198,348 Porter Apr. 23, 1940 2,342,216 Perkins et a1. Feb. 22, 1944 

